What do all the above phrases have in common? They all are stated in the negative. And you probably also noticed that each phrase conjured up an image. The first, of running. The next hitting, then driving, and finally, the image of an elephant.

The reason for this is that our minds think in terms of images, not words. The words are just "sign posts" that lead us to the actual representation in our heads. Remember Shakespeare's famous quote: "would a rose by any other name smell so sweet?" The answer is that of course it would, you can call it a rose, a blah blah, or a yabashbbahagomama and it will still smell sweet. The words are just signs that point to the actual experience.

Why is this important? And what does it have to do with fitness and goal-setting? I'm glad you asked. You see, when you set a goal, what you are really telling yourself is that there is something that you want that you don't have. This is not a good message to send to your mind. It gets caught on the not having part of the equation. So, instead, you want to focus on what your life will be like once you do have it. Think of the image exclusively, and stop thinking about all those things that you don't want to happen. Because your mind doesn't hear that you don't want something. It just gives you what you focus on.

So, if you have goals that are phrased like above, like "I don't want to be fat" or "I want to stop having all this lower back pain," then you need to re-do your goals and state them in the positive.

"Don't run" becomes "walk."

"Stop hitting your sister" becomes "be gentle to your sister."

"Why do you drive so fast?" becomes "please drive slowly."

"Do not think of a purple elephant" becomes "think of a green elephant... or horse... or pig." <- I don't know

Now to replace the ones that you might be thinking:

"I don't want to be fat" becomes "I am healthy and trim."

"I want to stop having all this lower back pain" becomes "I want to feel healthy and vibrant."

This is vitally important, because when you create your Mind Movie, you want to use positive affirmations in order to conjure up those images. Then those images become entrenched in your subconscious and your results are practically guaranteed.

To ignore the mental aspect of fitness would be doing a huge disservice to yourself. Consistent mental training is one of the best ways to achieve your fitness goals.

If you lift weights just one time, you're not going to get strong right? The same thing applies with mental conditioning, too.

We know that the best way to change you life is to change your belief system in your mind. Doing this is not an easy, "snap your finger" task. It takes repetition over a period of time, just like exercise.

I have created a generic Mind Movie here. It's a bit corny, but you get the idea of what they could look like. Yours needs to work for you. Your Mind Movie should meet the following criteria:

Include music, images, and affirmations that inspire you

It should be short enough so you can do it multiple times per day

It speaks to you directly and specifically

It makes you feel good

You need to be watching your mind movie a minimum of 5 times per day, but I would shoot for more than 10. Try to watch it every hour on the hour (that's why it needs to be short, maybe a minute).

I made this Mind Movie on iMovie on my iPhone. There are other video editors out there that you can use too.

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"Achieve all your fitness goals without injuring yourself" is a goal not a guarantee. Each individual must take full responsibility for their own health, fitness, and pain levels. My Core Balance programs are for informational use only and should not be construed as medical advise, nor should it ever replace speaking to your physician. A complete physical is recommended before undergoing any form of exercise.